Theatrical appliance.



M. ORTON. THEATRICAL APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILEDVMAY s. IBII.

Laawaa.

' Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

w yww. s31, 6

t N t FFTTUEQ THEATRIGAL APPLIANCE.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919 Application filed May 8, 1917. Serial No. 167,169.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON ORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vineland, county of Cumberland, and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Theatrical Appliance, of which the following is a specificatibn.

This invention is a theatrical appliance, and is more particularly directed to means for carrying out a performance in which two or more parties are enabled to run a foot race on a plurality of tight ropes.

The object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of endlesstight ropes, on each of which an artist is adapted to perform, the tight ropes being so mounted that when the artist runs, the corresponding'tight' rope will be moved by the operator, who will maintain a substantially fixed position, the relative movement between the artist and the tight rope being taken up by move ment of the latter.

A further object of the invention is the association with each tight rope of means for indicating the speed or extent of movement of each tight rope, whereby the operations of the two or more artists are recorded in plain view of the audience, so that relative stretched about spaced sheaves or supporting wheels. With each tight rope is associated an indicator operatively connected through suitable mechanism with one of the sheaves which supports the tight rope. A plurality of artists are adapted to mountseveral tight ropes and, figuratively speaking, to run a race, one artist performing on each rope.

The operations of each artist are recorded through the means specified by the recorder associated with his tight rope so that the audience viewing the operations of all of the performers simultaneously can ascertain, by a glance at the indicators, the result of the race.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the herein.- after detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the constructi n therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an appliance embodying the present invention, two performers being shown in the act of carrying out the race.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the referred form of horse for supporting one of the sheaves and the indicator associated therewith.

Fig. 3 is a like view of the horse for supporting the other sheave, and

Fig. 4 is a detail edge elevation of the pre ferred form of means employed for mounting the sheaves on the horses.

Referring to the drawings, A and A indicate two endless flexible tight ropes. The tight rope A extends around a pair of spaced sheaves B and C, while the tight rope A extends around similar sheaves B and C. The sheaves B and B are supported on horses D and D, while the sheaves C and C are carried by horses E and E. The tight ropes are maintained in a substantially taut condition by guy ropes (Z a? and e 6. Guy ropes d and d are secured to halters F F mounted on the horses D D respectively, and guy ropes e c are secured to halters G G mounted on horses E E, respectively.

Mounted on the horse D and associated with the sheave B is an indicator I, and a similar indicator 1 is mounted on the horse D and is associated with the sheave B. The horses E E are substantially the same in construction, the which is detailed in Fig. 3 and the horses D D are also the same in construction, the which is shown in Fig. 2. Accordingly, in the following description where the construction of Figs. 2 and 3 is described, more. particularly with relation to the horses D E respectively, it will be understood that the construction of the horses D E will be satisfied by the same description.

Horse D, shown in Fig. 2, may be of any structural design adapted for the use, but is here shown as in the form of a cast or built-up metal frame having two legs j and connecting bracing k. The sheave B is mounted on an axle b for rotation within bearings supported on the legs y. In view of the fact that the present invention is intended, more particularly, for theatrical troupes, it is desirable that the structure be demountable, and, there is shown in Fig. i a form of hearing which is recommended in this environment. Each bearing embodies a fixed portion J cast integral with, or secured to, one leg. The fixed portion J is open at one side to allow of the positioning of'the axle Z) within, or the removal 'of said axle from, the bearing, the axle being normally maintained within the hearing by means of a pivoted portion K pivotally secured to the portion J, as at Z, and having at its opposite end an apertured ear Z adapted to be brought into cooperative relation with corresponding ears 7a and a pin passed through the thus alined apertures to lock the axle in place within the hearing. The axle may,

higher than the horse E at his back, so that in his performance, he, in efiect, runs up hill. This is found to give the best results. I

As shown in Fig. 1, however, the horse E is of a slightly greater height than the horse D, for the same reason. Except for these differences in height between the respective horses, the constructions of all are the same aside from the fact that means is provided on the horse D for mounting the indicator I, and on the horse D for mounting the indicator I. The preferred method of attaching the halters is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where the halter F is shown as secured to the horse D, and the halter G as secured to the horse E.

The method of mounting the indicators I I is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and consists in providing the associated horse with an upstanding arm M provided, at its upper end, with a bracket m adapted to be secured to the rear of the dial i of the indicator. A shaft or spindle m is journaled in the arm M, and carries at its other end a pointer 93. On the spindle m is fixed a worm-wheel n, and a worm n isfixed upon the axle b which carries the sheave B. A vertical shaft 0, journaled in brackets 0 on the leg 3' and arm M, carries, on its upper end, a worm 0 and at its lower end a wheel 0 so that when the sheave is rotated, such rotation is imparted through the connections specified to the.

pointer z" for the purpose of moving said pointer about the face of the dial. The relative movement between the pointer and the sheave is so worked out by the worms andworm-wheels that the circumferential travel of said sheave will be indicated by the pointer. That is to say, that if the sheave is one yard in chameter, the gearing between theparts may be such that one rotation of the sheave will register one yard on the indicator. Of course, this example is illustrative only, but will serve to explain the manner in which the performance of the artists will be recorded. a

As hereinbefore stated, one of these indicators is associated with each tight rope, so that a glance at the indicator will immediately show how far or how fast the several performers have or are traveling.

In carrying out the performance the artists may run fast or slow, as desired, and their gravity," running up hill as it were, causes the respective tight ropes'to' travel and the sheaves to revolve. There is no power used to turn the wheels other than that of gravity or the power of the legs of the artists, so that the artists are not forced,

. in any Way, but act upon their own incentive entirely.

Throughout the foregoing specification and appended claims, the term tight rope is used generically, and it is to be understood that this tight rope may be of fiber, metal, or any other suitable material.

- Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A theatrical device for tight rope racing embodying a pair of sheaves spaced apart and one of which is positioned at a higher elevation than the other, an endless flexible tight rope encircling the sheaves and on which tight rope a performer is adapted to run, for the purpose of imparting longitudinal movement to the tight rope, and means associated with one of'the sheaves for indicating the distance traveled by the runner.

2. A theatrical device adapted for tight rope racing embodying a pair of supports spaced apart, a sheave mounted for free ro tation on one of said supports, a second sheave mounted, at a higher elevation than the first sheave, for free rotation on the other of said supports, and an endless flexible tight ropeencircling the sheaves, whereby when a performer runs upon the rope the rope is caused to travel around the sheaves.

3. A theatrical device for tight rope racing'embodying a pair of horses spacedapart, a sheave rotatably mounted on each horse, the sheave on one horse being at a higher elevation than the sheave on the other horse, an endless flexible tight rope stretched between the sheaves, and an indicator asso eiated with one of the sheaves for indicating the travel of the tight rope when actuated by an artist performing thereon, in combination with a second pair of horses spaced apart, a sheave rotatably mounted on each horse and one of which sheaves is positioned ence may determine by watching the indiat a higher elevation than the other, a tight cators the comparative speeds at which the rope Stretched between said sheaves, and two artists are performing and the distances 10 indicator means associated with one of the traveled by them.

5 sheaves for indicating the travel of the In testimony-whereof I have signedmy tight rope whenactuated by the second name to this specification. artist performing thereon, whereby an audi- MYRON ORTON.

@opiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. Q. 

